Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1887-08-26
A PASTORS STRANGE LIFE.
Dr. Lorimer, the Preacher. Was once n |
Stowaway, n Gambler and an Actor.
lErnm 1ne Wnshinutnn pnstl


The Rev. DR.. Lorimer of Chicago the
celebrated preacher is considering a call
to go to Washington. Should he accept the
congregation of that church will be under
the charge of man who has had varied
experience. In the first place DR.. Lormer
came to America as a stowaway. AL
though the son of well to do parents in
Scotland he became imbued with spirit
of adventure and, with another lad, hid
himself on board a steamer until the land
had been left far behind. When he came
ashore at New York he was friendless and
pennies. By working and tramping he
finally reached Louisville There he be-
came an actor. II have been everything
bad that man could think off, he is wont
to tell his congregation II gambled, l
stole, l have been down in the Sums
Thank God that is all past and l am h ere
but the lad who ran away with me has dis
appeared
While still an actor Dr. Lorimer drifted
into church one evening and heard
sermon. The sermon converted the
actor. More than that--it led him
from the stage to the pulpit After
re quiste amount of study in biological
seminary DR.. Lorimer was called to the pas
torate of the Shawmut avenue Baptist;
church in Boston. His salary for the first
year was $4,000, and he had not been pas
tor very long before his congregation made
him present of another $1,000. Not only
was his preaching eloquent, but he was full
of energy and dramatic power. The con
gregations grew larger and larger, and be
fore long revival was begun the like of
which Boston had not seen before. The
whole city talked of the new preacher and
his wonderful eloquence.
1t was but natural that when the Rev.
Justin ID. Fulton was called to Brooklyn the
Rev. DR.. Lorimer should he chosen as his
successor at fremont Temple During the
first year of this pastorate Victor Emanuel
declared religious freedom in Italy, and
the congregation of the temple sent over
their pastor to Rome in order that he might
combine vacation with missionary work
SO quickly did he reach Rome that he was
the first Protestant minister to preach "a
sermon within the sacred city, and he Sc
lected for his pulpit place which was
literally under the shadow of the Vatican
Returning from Rome he wrote u book
relating his experiences there, and shortly
atterward accepted a call to Chicago He
is man of marked peculiarities. His ap
pearance does not indicate his abilities
! Slight in stature, almost consumptive in
his looks, lacking all the outward qualities
which are apt to impress men, has yet to
the power to sway multitudes by magic of
his voice and words. SO magnetic is his in
fuence that 5000 people have been known to
follow with one accord the movements of
his hands to and fro as he added dramatic
gesture to imprisoned eloquence He is a
born orator. His sermons ara extempo-
raneous and his language flows as easily as
mountain stream. Yet he is not selsa-
tionalist. His manner is direct and inn
pressive and he adds to the force of his ar
guments by stories in imitably told. He is
a passionate lover OF flowers and has the
pulpit decked with them all the year
round. He is an enthusiastic fisherman
and makes jovial companion.